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This week, we start reading the Torah from its beginning, and the parshah of the week discusses how the world was formulated at its beginning. On the first day of the world’s creation, the Torah states:

“God said ‘Let there be light’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated between the light and the darkness” [Genesis: 1: 3-4]

It’s very interesting to note that although the Torah speaks of the manner in which God created light, it does not recount how God created darkness! Why is this so?

One may suggest that God did not create darkness because darkness is merely a “lack of light” and was always there. Therefore there is no reason that God needed to create darkness. However, this is false. Just as God made light, so too did he make darkness; this concept is highlighted in our prayers everyday, in which we say:

“Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who forms light and creates darkness, makes peace and creates all” [Morning service: In the blessings of the Shema]

So what was the Torah hinting at by omitting God’s creation of darkness? (*See footnote)

Our Rabbis tell us, that on a conceptual level “light” always refers to goodness, while “darkness” always refers to evil. By leaving out the creation of darkness, the Torah is perhaps telling us an extremely profound idea, relating to “light” and “darkness” on this conceptual level. Everything in this world of course originates from God; everything. And being that God is perfect in every which way, it is impossible that anything that emanates from His presence can be defected or “evil” in any fashion. Therefore, the Torah only describes how God fashioned “light” because only goodness (light) can come from Him.

However, the concept of evil in this world is not something created by God, but by man.

On a simple level: God created a world for us containing only good. He has bestowed this good upon us and has made it our responsibility to preserve it. Therefore, it is only through man’s actions that the world can remain good or become evil.

On a deeper level, this idea can be understood by the recognition that no matter what happens in this world is done for the good. Even when the world has been steeped in corruption and has reached a damaged state, we have to understand that it is only damaged in our eyes. No matter how horrible a situation may be, we must understand that it is really for our benefit, and the only reason it may seem “evil” is because that is how we categorize it. According to this explanation, “evil” is created in this world only through man’s thoughts and perceptions.

This concept is so vital for our relationship with God and our (limited) understanding of His ways, that it is conveyed to us on the very first day of creation. May we merit to “see the light” in every corner of our lives, and be able to abolish the darkness that may have been created through our own doings.

Good Shabbos,

NZL

*According to the scope of this essay, the omission of God’s creation of darkness is only in order to relate the idea which we will further develop. However, as indicated by the verse, God indeed “creates darkness”. The actual meaning of this is rather complex and steps way beyond the scope of this essay. If anyone is interested in understanding the meaning behind how “God creates evil” please contact me and I will do my best to explain it according to my limited level of understanding.

The main topic of this week’s parshah is the blessings that Moshe bestows upon each tribe just before his impending death. Before actually blessing the tribes, Moshe starts off by recalling the merit that makes the nation worthy of receiving a blessing:

“Hashem came from Sinai — having shone forth to them from Seir, having appeared from Mount Paran…” [Deuteronomy: 33: 2]

What exactly does the verse mean when it says that God came forth from the locations of “Seir” and “Paran” and what does it have to do with receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai?

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, 1040-1105, famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentaries on the Torah) explains that before approaching the Jewish people with the Torah, God first offered it to the descendants of Eisav, who dwelled in Seir, and to the descendants of Ishmael, who dwelled in Paran. After both of these nations refused to accept the Torah, God offered it to the Jewish nation who accepted it with open arms. It was this merit that Moshe recalls in order to show God that the Jewish people were fit for a blessing.

Although the nations of the world declined God’s offer, we are taught in the Talmud (a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history) that in the end of days they seek forgiveness before God and ask for another chance; to accept the Torah anew. God accedes to their request, but not by offering the Torah. Rather God says “I have an easy commandment and its name is Succah. Go and perform it”. The Talmud then describes how the nations were not able to perform this commandment properly and it therefore demonstrated that they were undeserving of a second chance from God.

One may ask: If the nations were attempting to show their loyalty and commitment to the entire Torah, why did God offer them only one commandment? And why was it that God chose the commandment of Succah in particular?

Seemingly, we may suggest that by observing the commandment of Succah one is, in some fashion, committing himself to the entire Torah. How is that?

For seven days we leave the comfort of our homes and we dwell (eat, drink, sleep etc.) in the Succah. On a deeper level, we are meant to leave more than just our homes. The holiday of Succos requires us to leave our fixed mindset and routine that we have accustomed ourselves to throughout the entire year. In order to be enveloped by God’s loving embrace, which is represented by the Succah, we must force ourselves to go against our natural tendencies. Yes, it is uncomfortable and yes, it is difficult. But this is what is expected of us.

Accepting upon ourselves the yoke of Torah is seen in the same vein. As a Jew, committing ourselves to the Torah is meant to be an uncomfortable and difficult lifestyle. God doesn’t want us to live our lives as we see fit and only afterwards somehow squeeze in the Torah and its commandments. Accepting the Torah means accepting the whole Torah; we can’t pick and choose the commandments we wish to keep. Therefore, bringing Torah into our lives consequentially breaches the walls of our daily schedule and natural tendencies.

Only after sitting in a Succah for seven days and committing ourselves to internalizing this idea can we truly rejoice and find happiness (Simcha) within God’s Torah on the upcoming holiday of Simchas Torah.

Good Shabbos,

Chag Samayach,

NZL

At the end of this week’s parshah, the Torah describes the last moments of Moshe’s life:

“Hashem spoke to Moshe on that very day, saying, “Ascend to this mountain…and see the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel as an inheritance, and die on the mountain where you will ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people” [Deuteronomy: 32: 48-50]

After commanding Moshe the process by which he is to die, God reminds Moshe of the reason why Moshe was not permitted to enter the land (see Numbers 20:12 and 27:12-14 for more details):

“Because you trespassed against Me among the Children of Israel at the waters of Merivat-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Tzin; because you did not sanctify Me among the Children of Israel” [Deuteronomy: 32: 51]

Up until this point, this paragraph seems to be in order; it would’ve been very suitable for Hashem to end His conversation with Moshe at this point. However, Hashem decides to squeeze in one more verse:

“For from a distance shall you see the Land, but you shall not enter there, into the Land that I give to the Children of Israel” [Deuteronomy: 32: 52]

Why was this necessary!? God has already clearly articulated to Moshe in verses 49-50 that he shall see Israel from the mountain he was commanded to ascend! What is the reason God returns to the topic of “Moshe seeing the land” and relate it once again?

In truth, this final verse was crucial. If Hashem would have only commanded Moshe verses 49-50, Moshe could’ve posed the following question: “Hashem, I understand that because of my sin You have prohibited me from leading the nation into the land Israel. But, if You are already permitting me to view the land, why can’t I have a closer look? Why can’t I actually enter the land, by myself, for a short while and see the land from inside? Afterwards, I shall surely return to this mountain and I will die here as You have commanded me.” Seemingly, this is a very valid request. But it is to this request that Hashem had to repeat Himself with the emphasis that “from a distance shall you see the Land, you shall not enter there.”

Now that we have obtained a possible solution to this apparent redundancy, we are left with an obvious question: Why in fact couldn’t Moshe enter the land? Was it not enough that he was not permitted to lead the nation of Israel into it? The very same nation he took out of Egypt, and guided in the desert for 40 years! What message was God trying to convey to Moshe by not even letting him enter the land on his own?

There are many answers to this question; perhaps we can offer one. By prohibiting Moshe from even setting foot in the land, God was trying to communicate a very important lesson regarding the nature of the land of Israel. Yes, the physical land itself contains an inherent quality of tremendous holiness of which no other piece of land in the world can compare. Upon entering the land of Israel one can instantaneously feel his soul being lifted up to higher levels, eager to bring itself closer to God. But, despite its lofty state of holiness, the land of Israel is meaningless if it lacks a nation to dwell within it. Perhaps, God was trying to illustrate to Moshe that being alone in the land of Israel would not serve any purpose. Only within the collective whole of Am Yisrael can the function of the land of Israel be truly recognized.

Hopefully, most of us honestly realize the significance of the land of Israel and have cultivated within ourselves some level of yearning and attachment to it. But at the same time, how many of us actually focus, not only on the beauty and holiness of the land itself, but on our brethren that inhabits it? Living in Israel loses its luster if we constantly complain about the taxi drivers, airport attendants, or waitresses that unfortunately seem to have a talent of getting on our nerves daily! Only once we strengthen ourselves to develop a deeper love for our fellow Jews that live in (and out) of Israel, can the land of Israel truly reach its purpose.

Good Shabbos,

NZL

Of the many ideas discussed in this week’s Torah portion, one particular idea seems to be very fitting for the time of year we find ourselves in. As we know, Rosh Hashannah is just days away and thoughts of repentance and self-examination should be occupying our minds and hearts until the day of judgement comes upon us. Concerning the idea of repentance and returning to God, our parshah tells us:

“It will be that when all these things come upon you — the blessing and the curse that I have presented before you — then you will take it to your heart, among all the nations where Hashem, your God, has dispersed you; and you will return unto Hashem, your God, and listen to his voice…” [Deuteronomy: 30: 1-2]

In response to our repentance, the subsequent verses describe the acts of kindness that God Himself shall bestow upon us in kind: The verses state that God will “bring you to the land that your forefathers possessed”, “make you numerous” etc. However, after these few verses, the Torah then says: “You shall return and listen to the voice of Hashem…” Why are we returning to the idea of repentance!? The verses already started off depicting our process of repentance! What is the significance of mentioning our repentance again?

There are certainly many answers to this question, however I would like to focus on two.

The first answer is quite simple. At first, the Torah illustrates how we will be “among all the nations where Hashem, your God, has dispersed you”. Because of our fallen state of exile we recognize our sins and “take it to heart” and eventually we “return unto Hashem, your God”. By demonstrating our regret for past sins and our renewed commitment to God, God rewards us by taking us out of exile etc. But repentance does not end there! Just because we now find ourselves in more favorable circumstances, it is not an indicator that repentance is over! God does not want us to only scream out to Him when times are tough; even when we are living comfortable lives we must still make an effort to bring ourselves closer to Him. Therefore, even after the verses describe how God will “bring you to the land that your forefathers possessed”, we are nevertheless told that “You shall return and listen to the voice of Hashem…”

The second answer is also relatively simple. Unfortunately, the term “repentance” is somewhat incorrect. The more accurate translation for the Hebrew word “Teshuva” is “return”. “Teshuva” is a process whereby we regret, anguish over, and abandon our sins and ultimately bring ourselves closer, “return”, to God by following his commandments and way of life. But how can one fully return to God!? God is defined as the infinite and the unknown, how can one ever attach themselves completely to something infinite!? The answer is that we can’t, but it is very important to realize this. Someone can reach the greatest heights of righteousness and “return to God” every day of his life, but he must always realize that because there is no end to God, there is no end to the level of “returning to God’ he can perform.

Both of these answers can be highlighted in the first verse we quoted above. The verse states:

“It will be that when all these things come upon you — the blessing and the curse that I have presented before you — then you will take it to your heart… and you will return unto Hashem, your God”

By including both “blessing” and “curse”, the beginning of the verse implies that it is not enough to cry out to God only when “the curse” is upon us, but so too when “the blessing” is upon us as well. The end of the verse says that we will return “unto” God. A more accurate translation, but a rather strange way of putting it, would have been “until God”. Instead of saying that we return “to” God, the verse specifies that we return “until” God in order to convey to us that despite the intense amount of repentance we undergo, we can never fully return “to” God; we can only come as close as being just “until” Him.

May we take these messages to heart in these days leading up to Rosh Hashannah and sincerely return to God to the best of our abilities.

Good Shabbos,

Shannah Tovah,

NZL

The parshah this week starts off with the “first fruit” offering; basically, the first batch of ripened fruits to grow in one’s property were obligated to be brought to Jerusalem, to the Temple. At that site, the one offering the fruit would conduct a ritual that included a declaration of gratitude to Hashem (God). After reciting the declaration, the fruit would then be presented as a gift to the Kohen (Jewish priest) working in the Temple.

Throughout the many expressions recited in the declaration, one line seems to shine out after close examination. After praising God for removing us from the bondage of Egypt, the verse states:

“ ‘He brought us to this place, and He gave us this Land, a Land flowing with milk and honey’ ” [Deuteronomy: 26: 9]

“This place” refers to the Temple, and “this Land” refers to the land of Israel of course. The only problem is that they’re written in reverse order! Chronologically, we entered the land of Israel first and only then did we build the Temple! Furthermore, it would not be possible to build the Temple without entering the land first! What’s going on?

A very simplistic answer would be that indeed the Temple was built first; in a way. Before entering the land, while we were traversing the desert, we built the Tabernacle, which was sort of a transportable Temple. All the divine service that was needed to be done was carried out through the Tabernacle. So you can say that the Temple was built first, in its temporary state, and only then did we get to Israel. But there lies a slight problem with this simple answer. The verse we are focusing on is part of the declaration for the “first fruits” offering in particular, and this special offering only took effect once we entered Israel! We weren’t able to bring the first fruits to the Tabernacle! So perhaps there is a deeper answer to our question.

The idea is quite simple. The verse was not focusing on the order of chronology, rather it is meant to be understood as an order of ideology. Meaning, the Temple and what it symbolizes comes before our actual entrance into the land. The Temple, which is the locus of divine worship, represents the nation’s religious service. Without religious service, without the goal of developing a strong relationship with God, what point could the land of Israel serve? A cozy place to live? It is not the location of Israel that is the be-all end-all, but the function. So, although the Temple was actually built years after we stepped foot into Israel, the Jewish nation knew that it was the ultimate priority.

It is no coincidence that this verse, which expresses this ideal, is found within the special commandment of the “first fruits”. The act of giving up one’s first fruits to the Temple symbolized that one is meant to dedicate everything he has for the service of God. Through hard work and toil we work the land, and we hopefully receive fruits in return. But before we can enjoy them we are commanded to give the first batch towards a holier purpose. That is exactly the idea we have developed; it is this holier purpose that our nation had in mind from the start, before entering the land of Israel. And it is this holier purpose that we are meant to be cognizant of throughout every day of our lives.

There is no question, Israel is the most spiritual and uplifting piece of land on this earth. But not because of it’s beaches and nice scenery. We have to understand that the land of Israel was given to us for a greater intention. If we allow ourselves to lose sight of that goal, then we’ll miss the point entirely. May we truly develop the greater understanding of what Israel really means to us, and may we fulfill the saying B’Shana Haba B’Yerushaliym (Next year in Jerusalem)!

Good Shabbos,

NZL